diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index ea9f23dd4..26d22842d 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -613,7 +613,9 @@ static int detect_brace(FILE *file) {
 		}
 	}
 	free(line);
-	fseek(file, pos, SEEK_SET);
+	if (ret == 0) {
+		fseek(file, pos, SEEK_SET);
+	}
 	return ret;
 }